Before it's too late....

Mark is still awake and alert, and he is a man on a mission. He asked his Mom to share his story with others, in hopes that it may change someone's life. I think it's a great mission, and I am going to do my part.
Mark and I were married many years ago and had 2 wonderful kids Misty and Nick. Mark was a fun-loving party-goer who loved his beer and marijuana. After a few years, it became a problem... and played a big part in our divorce. After the divorce, the drinking got worse. He and I both eventually remarried and moved on with our lives. The kids adjusted. Their Mom was the level-headed, boring parent and Dad was the fun, exciting, Harley-riding parent. Both kids loved both parents, and both parents loved both kids.
Then Mark got sick. His liver started showing signs of the abuse. Small signs at first...weight loss and fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Gradually the signs got worse. He spent some time in the hospital, and doctors told him to stop drinking or he would die. He tried. He quit for several months, but the temptation was too much. He continued to drink for another year. Last August, everything changed. He landed back in the hospital and nearly died. He had bands placed in his esophogus to stop the bleeding. He was scared, and he finally quit for good. Cold-turkey, with only his family to help him. The kids were (and still are) very proud of him. After his doctors realized he was sober and detemined to stay that way, they made a deal with him. He had to successfully complete outpatient alcohol rehab classes, and he would be placed on a liver transplant list. Everyone was excited. It was a great chance for a new life! Mark enrolled in the classes and actually enjoyed them. He spoke to his class about his liver disease, hoping to make a difference in someone's life. That was important to him.
He had less than 4 weeks of classes left when he was rushed to the ER last week. He was told Saturday that he won't be getting a new liver. He was sent home with Hospice, and has "a few days to a few weeks left". Now our kids are devastated and spending as much time with him as possible. He is 46 years old.
The liver has many jobs. It filters the toxins from your body, helps clot the blood, and plays an important part in digestion/nutrition. A person cannot live without it.
Many people (yes, even some on my "friends" list) enjoy drinking alcohol. I hope you all read this post and understand that alcohol slowly kills your liver. There is a point where the damage becomes severe and permanant. Once that point is reached, it's too late. I can't help Mark recover his life. I wish I could. But I can help him share his lesson.

Sigh!So sad!i hope ur post helps someone to wake up to their own drinking and what its doing to them and their family in the way that ur X's has caused all the damage it is doing now!prayers for all of u!

Sigh!So sad!i hope ur post helps someone to wake up to their own drinking and what its doing to them and their family in the way that ur X's has caused all the damage it is doing now!prayers for all of u!

I am so sorry for him, if only he had learned earlier what was happening to him. It is very kind of him to want to help other people, what better example is there, than his horrible outcome to a life of party and fun. Tell him Thank You for sharing his story, I am sure it will help many. Like him there are many who just have fun, not thinking it will happen to them. Give him a hug for me and tell him we will pray for him.
Judy

I am so sorry for him, if only he had learned earlier what was happening to him. It is very kind of him to want to help other people, what better example is there, than his horrible outcome to a life of party and fun. Tell him Thank You for sharing his story, I am sure it will help many. Like him there are many who just have fun, not thinking it will happen to them. Give him a hug for me and tell him we will pray for him.
Judy

I am so very sorry for you and for Mark. I am actually a hospice chaplain and see this often as well as I am living it to with my husband. praise him often for wanting to share his story and remind him that he is special and love by all of you!, my heart and prayers go out to all of you. I am very proud of Mark for sharing his story! May God Bless you all

I am so very sorry for you and for Mark. I am actually a hospice chaplain and see this often as well as I am living it to with my husband. praise him often for wanting to share his story and remind him that he is special and love by all of you!, my heart and prayers go out to all of you. I am very proud of Mark for sharing his story! May God Bless you all

Thank you so much for taking the time to try and help another live, at this time. My heart goes out to all of you. I lost my husband at 43, and never is there a day that he is not remembered sweetly, regardless of his human frailities. My love to you and the kids. We will all be together again, one fine day. I have a book from the 1800's that i typed out on my journal, and it might help the family to read it. It's just so beautifully written and brings such peace. I'ts called Life's evening. It might help the kids deal with the loss and really give them a sense of all things moving on, There is no death. Liz

Thank you so much for taking the time to try and help another live, at this time. My heart goes out to all of you. I lost my husband at 43, and never is there a day that he is not remembered sweetly, regardless of his human frailities. My love to you and the kids. We will all be together again, one fine day. I have a book from the 1800's that i typed out on my journal, and it might help the family to read it. It's just so beautifully written and brings such peace. I'ts called Life's evening. It might help the kids deal with the loss and really give them a sense of all things moving on, There is no death. Liz

Mark passed away on June 6th, surrounded by his family. He is no longer suffering. Our children are still struggling with the loss, but it is getting better. Our daughter (who was in college studying to be a nurse) has changed her career plans and is now working hard to be a substance abuse counselor.
Please share Mark's story with anyone who may benefit from it. If he can keep on helping other alcoholics, what an awesome legacy that would be!

Mark passed away on June 6th, surrounded by his family. He is no longer suffering. Our children are still struggling with the loss, but it is getting better. Our daughter (who was in college studying to be a nurse) has changed her career plans and is now working hard to be a substance abuse counselor.
Please share Mark's story with anyone who may benefit from it. If he can keep on helping other alcoholics, what an awesome legacy that would be!

Deepest condolences to you and your family.AA says there are those that are constituionally incapable of grasping a recovery program......sadly in my 30 years of a being a recovering person and a substance abuse counselor i have seen this way too many times!

Deepest condolences to you and your family.AA says there are those that are constituionally incapable of grasping a recovery program......sadly in my 30 years of a being a recovering person and a substance abuse counselor i have seen this way too many times!

Thank-you so much for sharing Mark's story, Tinker. So sad. So proud of your Daughter to be a substance abuse counselor. What a wonderful way to continue her Father's legacy. I believe things happen for a reason. I'm very confident she will help many others in the years to come. I know Mark's story will help me to continue my sober path and will share it with others. Thank-you !

Thank-you so much for sharing Mark's story, Tinker. So sad. So proud of your Daughter to be a substance abuse counselor. What a wonderful way to continue her Father's legacy. I believe things happen for a reason. I'm very confident she will help many others in the years to come. I know Mark's story will help me to continue my sober path and will share it with others. Thank-you !

Mark is still awake and alert, and he is a man on a mission. He asked his Mom to share his story with others, in hopes that it may change someone's life. I think it's a great mission, and I am going to do my part.
Mark and I were married many years ago and had 2 wonderful kids Misty and Nick. Mark was a fun-loving party-goer who loved his beer and marijuana. After a few years, it became a problem... and played a big part in our divorce. After the divorce, the drinking got worse. He and I both eventually remarried and moved on with our lives. The kids adjusted. Their Mom was the level-headed, boring parent and Dad was the fun, exciting, Harley-riding parent. Both kids loved both parents, and both parents loved both kids.
Then Mark got sick. His liver started showing signs of the abuse. Small signs at first...weight loss and fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Gradually the signs got worse. He spent some time in the hospital, and doctors told him to stop drinking or he would die. He tried. He quit for several months, but the temptation was too much. He continued to drink for another year. Last August, everything changed. He landed back in the hospital and nearly died. He had bands placed in his esophogus to stop the bleeding. He was scared, and he finally quit for good. Cold-turkey, with only his family to help him. The kids were (and still are) very proud of him. After his doctors realized he was sober and detemined to stay that way, they made a deal with him. He had to successfully complete outpatient alcohol rehab classes, and he would be placed on a liver transplant list. Everyone was excited. It was a great chance for a new life! Mark enrolled in the classes and actually enjoyed them. He spoke to his class about his liver disease, hoping to make a difference in someone's life. That was important to him.
He had less than 4 weeks of classes left when he was rushed to the ER last week. He was told Saturday that he won't be getting a new liver. He was sent home with Hospice, and has "a few days to a few weeks left". Now our kids are devastated and spending as much time with him as possible. He is 46 years old.
The liver has many jobs. It filters the toxins from your body, helps clot the blood, and plays an important part in digestion/nutrition. A person cannot live without it.
Many people (yes, even some on my "friends" list) enjoy drinking alcohol. I hope you all read this post and understand that alcohol slowly kills your liver. There is a point where the damage becomes severe and permanant. Once that point is reached, it's too late. I can't help Mark recover his life. I wish I could. But I can help him share his lesson.

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